Driving in Neutral

So as everyone knows, I recently bought an Oldsmobile Alero Coupe 5-Speed. I love the car and its treating me very well. What I have been doing recently is coasting in Neutral down hills or when the car doesn't need to be in gear (approaching a stop sign, red lights, etc..)mostly just to save gas. But then I got to thinking, is this good for the car?

Is coasting in Neutral harming my car? Are you not supposed to do this is cars with a stick shift? Keep in mind I'm not driving around with the clutch engaged, the car is just not in gear.
---------------------------------------------------------

I've never personally heard of any issues with this. I normally don't coast down hills though, but I do take it out of gear and coast to a stop when one is coming up sometimes. The only way I could possibly see thsi hurting your car is you accidentally shifting it into the wrong gear when you go to put it back in gear. Say you needed 5th gear, and you put it in 3rd accidentally. It'd just revyour engine and tranny pretty good, but otherwise I don't think just coasting along will hurt your car.
______________________________________________________________________Sword in my hand, Axe on my side.Valhall awaits me, Soon I will die.Bear skin on my back, Wolf jaw on my head.Valhall awaits me when I'm dead.

I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

That is why I am going to keep track of this thread and make sure it isn't bad for my car.

I always thought it was not bad for the car since it's out of gear and nothign is engaged... you are just moving...

Oldzmobile:Thats what I assumed but I'm still unsure. The last thing I need is a costly transmission repair.

Between my '93 Ranger, '01 Focus, and now my '07 Fusion I have yet to repair a transmission, and I've always done the same thing. Just off my experience it should be okay.
______________________________________________________________________Sword in my hand, Axe on my side.Valhall awaits me, Soon I will die.Bear skin on my back, Wolf jaw on my head.Valhall awaits me when I'm dead.

DetroitMan:I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

wait.

excessive idling is bad? Why is that?
----------------

-how does it stay so small and skinny when it has single handedly eaten all those fat muscle cars?

I have never had any problems with this, but I don't really live near any hills. I do this coming down from the mountains of NC, but usually only when I don't have to hit the gas pedal for about 5 miles or so.
...It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener. - Atlas Shrugged

"However, in newer vehicles, coasting in neutral may not be the most efficient method. On most cars with computer-controlled, closed-loop electronic fuel injection (including direct injection), no fuel is injected when coasting in gear as the wheels are turning the differential/transmission which in turn keeps the engine from stopping. In neutral, the fuel system must inject enough fuel to keep the engine idling as the engine is effectively disconnected from the transmission/transaxle."
_________________________________________________________________

"We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."Louis Brandeis - Supreme Court Justice

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

DetroitMan:I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

ruspan:wait.

excessive idling is bad? Why is that?

Honestly, I don't know the technical details. I think it is something to do with the fuel injectors, but I'm not sure. The owner's manual of several of my cars said not to let them idle for more than five or ten minutes (depended on the car). I know it's one reason diesel is preferred for work vehicles, ambulances, etc. They don't have problems if left idling.

DetroitMan:I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

ruspan:wait.

excessive idling is bad? Why is that?

DetroitMan:Honestly, I don't know the technical details. I think it is something to do with the fuel injectors, but I'm not sure. The owner's manual of several of my cars said not to let them idle for more than five or ten minutes (depended on the car). I know it's one reason diesel is preferred for work vehicles, ambulances, etc. They don't have problems if left idling.

Yes but as DetroitMan already said, the time spend idling is minimal. Usually no more then 30 seconds, if that. And thats only when I'm coasting.
---------------------------------------------------------

DetroitMan:I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

ruspan:wait.

excessive idling is bad? Why is that?

DetroitMan:Honestly, I don't know the technical details. I think it is something to do with the fuel injectors, but I'm not sure. The owner's manual of several of my cars said not to let them idle for more than five or ten minutes (depended on the car). I know it's one reason diesel is preferred for work vehicles, ambulances, etc. They don't have problems if left idling.

thanks for that info!

I usually leave my car idling when I am waiting for someone outside, or picking them up at the airport so I can have the a/c and music on. From now on, I'll just go in.

hahaha! thanks!

I never read the owner's manual I am a bad car owner!
----------------

-how does it stay so small and skinny when it has single handedly eaten all those fat muscle cars?

DetroitMan:I do the same thing. I know that excessive idling is bad for gasoline engines, but I don't think the time I spend in neutral is excessive. It's certainly less than some stop lights or sitting in a traffic jam.

ruspan:wait.

excessive idling is bad? Why is that?

DetroitMan:Honestly, I don't know the technical details. I think it is something to do with the fuel injectors, but I'm not sure. The owner's manual of several of my cars said not to let them idle for more than five or ten minutes (depended on the car). I know it's one reason diesel is preferred for work vehicles, ambulances, etc. They don't have problems if left idling.

ruspan:thanks for that info!

I usually leave my car idling when I am waiting for someone outside, or picking them up at the airport so I can have the a/c and music on. From now on, I'll just go in.

hahaha! thanks!

I never read the owner's manual I am a bad car owner!

I treat my baby right. She's garaged, waxed, vacuumed, regular maintenance... a real dealership queen. I always read the "care and feeding" instructions. Never idled more than ten minutes in her life. If she were a child, she would be the little princess who has everything that all the other kids hate.

DetroitMan:I treat my baby right. She's garaged, waxed, vacuumed, regular maintenance... a real dealership queen. I always read the "care and feeding" instructions. Never idled more than ten minutes in her life. If she were a child, she would be the little princess who has everything that all the other kids hate.

Man, I need a life...

hahaha. I do regular maintenance... but not at the dealership. I am a cheepo. My car is clean in the inside but DIRRRTY on the outside. I've had it for over 3 months and still haven't been washed.

man, I need to stop being lazy! LOL1
----------------

-how does it stay so small and skinny when it has single handedly eaten all those fat muscle cars?